1911 Full length Guide Rod? Reasons to upgrade?

[10-x]

Been shooting 1911’s for about 50 years, on the farm, on AMTU after Vietnam and have 10 assorted Colts, no need for full length guide rods. John Browning designed the perfect pistol and no full length rod, nuf sed.

[45DUDE]

I have a nice 1911 N.M. 38 special wad cutter pistol. I found installing a guide rod it would lock the slide back with a lower powder charge on the last shot.

[charlie b]

I've had both. Originally I recall the FLGR was primarily to add some extra weight to the pistol.

I have not fired mine back to back with and without so can't say it makes any difference at all. My current 1911's do not have them.

No, there is no reason for the recoil spring to ever kink when installed in the gun. I have seen kinked springs on GI pistols, but, they were all due to ham fisted GI's during disassembly and assembly (or being stepped on ).

[Greg S]

Added weight up front or more ing from a standard recoil spring to a flat wire spring ala glock.

[Hickok]

I hate full length guide rods. To my way of thinking, they are a "boutique part" for the 1911.

WWI, WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, and etc,...never was needed on the 1911,...essential only at the "run and gun" pistol matches and target range

When it comes time to tear down/disassemble for a cleaning, they really are a pain,......at least for me.

[cas]

I have 1911's with original stubbies, one piece and two piece full length. IMO the only reason to add a FLGR is if you want to be able to take the top end off quickly and often.

That may sound odd. I have a couple that I shoot a lot, especially the one I use for USPSA. I don't clean it often, but I "change the oil" (grease actually) every time I shoot it. Whip the slide/barrel/recoil assembly off in one piece, wipe the rails clean, apply new grease, put the top back on.

[NuJudge]

I sometimes will shoot competitions that have me shooting .22 rimfire and .45 acp. It helps if the .22 is a rimfire conversion on a 1911 that is otherwise in .45 acp. This means I only have one trigger pull. The conversion has a captive recoil spring. It helps if the 1911 also has a captive recoil spring, so I can change uppers quickly.

Other than this, I see no benefit from a captive spring on a 1911.

[Divil]

Both my Colt 5 inch Government 9mm 1911’s have the standard short guide rod and I see no reason to switch. Both are accurate and reliable. I don’t see any potential gains in switching unless your friend has an overwhelming need just to tinker.

[scattershot]

My vote is for the standard GI guide rod and cap, as God and John Browning intended.

[gnostic]

There's a reason every pistol designed in the last hundred years, or the ones I can think of, have a full length guide rod captive spring design. I notice my bone stock Detonic Combat Master came with full length guide rod and I really like the way my series 70 Gold Cup slide feels with a full length guide rod and shock buffer. I've never owned a 1911 that wasn't modified, sights, barrel bushing, slide tightened, trigger job etc...

[SweetMk]

I have replaced any recoil springs that seemed tired, and have a shock buffer in each pistol-- including the two with the one piece rods.

DG

So, if I want to remove the FLGR from my Series 80 Gold Cup ,, I might as well replace the spring while I am at it,,
How would I go about selecting the correct replacement spring?

and ,,

is the shock buffer needed ??

[charlie b]

If the spring is correct for the loads you shoot then the shock buffer is not needed. I use one on the wife's Light Commander (aluminum frame) cause I sometimes load hot rounds in it. Never used one in my steel 1911's.

Basically, if your pistol works the way it is don't change the spring.

[Petrol & Powder]

I've never purchased a full length guide rod to add to a 1911 but I have owned 1911's that came with a FLGR.
Can't say I would add a FLGR to a pistol that didn't have one. I don't see where it is needed, it makes disassembly more complicated and it just adds weight.
As for shooting? A guide rod may add a little mass to the front of the pistol if you desired that.

After reading this thread, up to this point, I can say the responses are far more in the "No guide rod" camp than the "Yes guide rod" camp.

[gnostic]

So, if I want to remove the FLGR from my Series 80 Gold Cup ,, I might as well replace the spring while I am at it,,
How would I go about selecting the correct replacement spring?

and ,,

is the shock buffer needed ??

The Gold Cup uses a 11lb. recoil spring with 185gr SW and 3.5gr of Bullseye....

[DougGuy]

So, if I want to remove the FLGR from my Series 80 Gold Cup ,, I might as well replace the spring while I am at it,,
How would I go about selecting the correct replacement spring?

and ,,

is the shock buffer needed ??

Ok first, the lower power load, lighter boolit = less energy to impart to the slide, so a weaker recoil spring is needed. Standard spring is 14lbs afaik.

Since the 1911 recoil impulse is dependent on the shooter's grip, then your grip factors into how well the slide operates. The tighter your grip, the more energy goes into the slide, the looser your grip, your forearms absorb some of the energy and the gun can actually fail to cycle if you limp wrist the 1911.


One of the best ways to select the proper recoil spring for a 1911 is by matching the spring to the load and you do this at the range, at the 7 yard distance, fire a double tap. When you can double tap and the second shot ends up within 1 1/2" or 2" of the first, you have the right spring for that load, AND your grip. You can try different springs and watch the second shot stray from the first, but the closer they are, the better it will work with THAT load and THAT spring.

If you shoot a lot I would use the shock buff at the range but remove it before using the gun for an EDC. Most times you won't have a problem with them if you keep new ones properly installed but I have seen the shock buff turn sideways and cause a failure to feed.

[35remington]

The recoil spring plug is a guide rod. Hence the reason it is not needed in a 1911. And as mentioned the unrestrained length of recoil spring in a 1911 is so short it cannot kink. Other designs may not confine the recoil spring as well as a 1911 does, and therefore a guide rod is present.

One fallacy in observation is to observe that since some other design has a guide rod, a 1911 is therefore “better” if it gets one to replace what was originally specified. What is missed is the designs are different and do not have the same requirements.

The integral guide rod/recoil spring in newer plastic pistols must have square ends or flanges to fit into the recess in the front of the slide and a small “shelf” at the bottom of the barrel lugs. The guide rod role is to facilitate assembly as a primary factor in these new designs. In a 1911 a guide rod has no role to play in getting the recoil spring to stay in place.

Why install what is clearly not needed?

[DHDeal]

I think the full length guide rod is a great upgrade for a 19.... Nah, I couldn't even finish my lie. On a 1911 I don't want one.

My 2011's wear them, but that's the way they came, are one piece, are not any trouble to disassemble, and are heavy. Different critter for a different game.

[VariableRecall]

I think that we will stick with the stock guide rod for the time being. The pistol as is hasn't caused any issues, so why modify it?

Plus, a parkerized finish and a silver colored guide rod would look quite off.

[Bazoo]

Springfield parkerized milspec comes with a stainless barrel and bushing. It don't look off to me. Course I like a stainless frame and black slide.

[wv109323]

It adds weight to the front of the gun, if you like weight. A problem it causes is that the spring wire can get caught between the spring cap and the rod. This can cause a malfunction and may not allow the slide its full travel forward.
I had a flgr and the clearance between the spring cap and rod was excessive.